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BOZEMAN- Four more lawsuits filed against NorthWestern Energy after the 2009 downtown Bozeman explosion have been settled.

According to court documents, lawsuits filed by Ralph Ferraro of the Rockin' R Bar; Sanks Family Limited Partnership, a limited liability corporation; Farmer's Union Mutual Insurance Co. and Jalal Neishabouri of the Rocky Mountain Rug Gallery have all been settled. Trials were vacated on August 30th for the lawsuits filed by Sanks Family Limited Partnership and Ralph Ferraro, a lawsuit against that also includes the building's tenant, Aspen Land Company, as a plaintiff. On Aug. 18, a status conference was vacated in the Rocky Mountain Rug Gallery lawsuit. The Farmer's Insurance case was dismissed with prejudice and closed.

The March 5, 2009 explosion destroyed half a city block in the 200 block of East Main Street and killed one woman, Tara Bowman, 36, who was working in the Montana Trails Gallery that morning. The area near the gallery was the epicenter of the blast, which was traced to a natural gas service line behind the gallery.

Nine more lawsuits remain open against NorthWestern Energy related to the blast.